Nurses have always fulfilled critical roles in society, but the importance of this career field is expanding even faster than in the past. With more nurses retiring and the U.S. population getting older, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that nursing and other healthcare occupations will exhibit the largest domestic employment growth of any industry from 2014 to 2024.
These trends suggest that increasing numbers of students will pursue nursing. Fortunately for these caregivers-to-be, this professional community has a strong online presence in the form of many resourceful websites.
1. Student Nurse Journey
Student Nurse Journey provides numerous clinical tools for pre-nursing students. In addition to helping prospective nurses get a better feel for the academic paths they’ve chosen, the site facilitates engagement between students and their peers.
Student Nurse Journey features a regular newsletter and scholarship data, but it’s also a valuable testing aid. Those seeking an introduction to the rigorous National Council Licensure Examination, also referred to as the NCLEX or state boards, should definitely check out the exam overview section. Students can also share their clinical reflections and stories anonymously or simply check out the practice-area educational guides.
2. National Student Nurses’ Association
The National Student Nurses’ Association is a valuable mentorship and career-planning resource. Members enjoy the ability to connect with actual professionals as well as take advantage of NCLEX preparation courses, malpractice liability insurance, health insurance, medical attire and other resources at significant discounts. NSNA publishes numerous periodicals and career-planning resources that may be of interest.
This organization is associated with a noteworthy partner, the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association. FNSNA awards a range of scholarships to qualified undergrad students, and it also facilitates graduate-level faculty fellowships, offers leadership development grants and engages in other charitable work.
3. Discover Nursing
Discover Nursing is the online arm of the Johnson & Johnson program known as the Campaign for Nursing’s future. Since this organization was created in the early 2000’s with the specific goal of dealing with the nursing shortage, it provides numerous tools that students and professionals may benefit from.
Discover Nursing maintains a well-populated database of nursing schools and scholarship programs. It also lets you explore more than 100 specialties in detail to learn what each entails. Students should also check out the YouTube videos and articles on common career challenges, like securing financial aid or sitting through an interview.
4. Nurse.com
Nurse.com is a great site to find out about the types of trends, events and ideas that are developing within the industry. In addition to focusing on national news stories that specifically involve the nursing profession, it hosts numerous opinion articles where professionals share their thoughts on nursing leadership, education, cultural competency, patient interactions and a host of other relevant topics. While the site’s academic focus seems to be on continuing education, its jobs board and professional-oriented discourse should prove of great value to most students.
5. Nurse Groups
Nurse Groups features numerous articles that address diverse subject matter, like the physical demands of becoming a neonatal nurse, patient education, bioethics and the metaparadigm of nursing. This site’s wealth of highly-specific content is helpful for finding your way if you have unique personal circumstances or a specialized background. The site also links to Facebook groups that might be good places to obtain situational advice and real feedback on your career decisions.
Related Resource: 50 Most Affordable Competitive Colleges for Online RN-BSN Degrees
Becoming a student nurse is a great way to fulfill an increasingly pertinent societal demand. By charting your course using widely-available online resources, you may find it easier to break into the field successfully and help reverse the healthcare shortage.